Roller for removing lint



7 Sept. 24, 1957 E. BUTLER ROLLER FOR REMOVING LINT Filed Dec. 20, 1954I s n" 1 E M R N T m R m, mm m N B l T n 5/ A n Y I United States Patent2,807,039 ROLLER FOR REMOVING LINT Lindley E. Butler, Detroit, Mich.Application December 20, 1954, Serial No. 47 6,524 12 Claims. (Cl.15-104) This invention relates to a device for cleaning clothing orsimilar fabrics and more particularly to a roller type device forremoving lint.

One object of this invention is to provide a device for removing lintfrom clothing and other fabrics which is capable of performing thisoperation quickly and efiiciently and without damage to the fabric.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the typeindicated which is composed of a relatively few simple parts and whichis inexpensive to manufacture.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a device forremoving lint in the form of a cylindrical roller having means on thecylindrical surface thereof which is sufficiently tacky to pick up anylint or loose particles upon the surface of a piece of fabric.

Another object of the invention is to provide a lint removing roller asdescribed in the preceding paragraph having ribs-projecting radiallyoutwardly beyond the tacky surface to enable the roller to be put downon its side upon a supporting surface without sticking.

Another object of the inventionis to provide a roller type lint removingdevice in which the tacky surface is provided by a strip of adhesivetape helically' wrapped about the roller and having novel means forsecuring the opposite ends of the strip to the roller.

A further object of the invention is to provide a roller type lintremoving device supported by a handle projecting axially therefrom.Preferably the rolleris in the form of a cylindrical shell supported onthe handle by a hub having provision for supporting a reserve supply ofadhesive tape.

Other objects. of the invention will be made more apparent as thisdescription proceeds, especially when taken in conjunction with theaccompaying drawing wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational View of a lint removing deviceconstruction in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view Figure 5 is asectional view taken along the line 5 5 of Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating the manner inwhich one end ofthe tape is secured to the cylindrical shell; and

Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 3 but showing a modification.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing and especially to Figures1 and 2 thereof, the lint removing device will be seen to comprise acylindrical body in the form of a hollow shell 10 and an elongatedhandle 12 rotatably supporting the shell and projecting axially from oneend thereof.

Secured within the shell is a cylindrical hub 14 which may be secured tothe inner surface of the shell by glue or by tacking or by any suitablemeans. The hub has a concentric cylindrical boss or extension 16 ofreduced diameter extending from one end thereof for supporting a reservespool of adhesive tape 18. There may be suflicient friction between thespool and extension to prevent the spool from accidently slipping ofi,although the spool may be easily removed to apply a fresh strip of tapeto the shell. The handle 12 has a cylindrical pm 20 projecting from theouter end 21 thereof which is of a diameter considerably less than thediameter of the outer end of the handle. A cap 22 is secured to theouter end of pin 20 as by gluing, for example. The hub 14 has aconcentric bore extending axially therethrough of slightly largerdiameter than the pin and, as will be seen in Figure 2, the hub isloosely retained between cap 22 and the outer end 21 of the handlepermitting the hub and shell to rotate freely relative to the handle.

The cylindrical shell 10 will be seen to have a plurality of axiallyspaced rib portions on the outer cylindrical side thereof extendingaround the shell and projecting radially.

outwardly thereof. These rib portions are actually parts of onecontinuous narrow ridge 24 which extends helically about the shell froma point adjacent one end thereof to a point adjacent the other end. Asshown in Figure 3, the ridge 24 is formed integrally with the shell andis provided by crimping the material of the shell to form the radiallyoutwardly projecting ridge.

The ridge 24 defines a helical path 26 of uniform width extending aroundthe shell and disposed in the helical path is a strip 28 of adhesivetape having its tacky side facing radially outwardly. The strip may, forex-.

ample, be any of the cloth .or cellophane type tapes which arcommercially available.

The tape may be secured to-the shell in any manner.

desired a number of advantages whichwill become apparent as this.description proceeds.

of the strip 28.projects radially inwardly throngh the notch and has itstacky surface adhered to the radially inner surface of the tab 32 on theother. side of the. notch from the outer end of the helical path 26. The

strip may then be severed along the knife edge 36 of the tab. g I

The opposite or inner end of the shell .is formed with an axiallyextending notch 38 which extends into and defines the axially inner endof the helical path.-

The portion at the side of the notch 38 opposite the inner end of thehelical path is designated by the numeral 40" and provides an attachingsurface for the inner end of the helical strip. Thus, the inner end ofthe strip extends radially inwardly through notch 38 and the tacky side'handle) and the free end of the tape adhered to the inner side ofportion 40. The tacky side, of course, faces out and the strip is thenextendedontw'ardly through notch 38 and wrapped helically about theshell in path 26. 'The helical ridge not only defines the path 26 butalso serves to confine the adjacent turns of the strip against axialshifting movement, thereby maintaining the adjacent turns The strip isthen in their proper positions on the shell. passed inwardly throughnotch 30 and adhered to the inner side of tab 32. The strip may easilybe severed However, the particular means for securing. the tape to theshell disclosed herein .is believed'to have As seen particularly in Fiu'res 1, 4 and 6, the shell has an axially extendingno'tch at its outerend which defines the. axially. outer end of f the helical pathdetermined by ridge 24. The outer endv 3 Fizure 7 illustrates a modifiedform of the invention in which the ridge 24 is defined by a separatelength of wire 42 helically encircling the shell and projectingradiallybemdflie outer surface thereof to define a helical path thesematerials, or may be formed of wood or any other suitable material.

The drawing and the foregoing specification constitute a n of theimproved roller for removing lint in such full, clear, concise and exactterms as to enable any skilled in the art to practice the invention, thescqe of which is indicated by the appended claims.

What I claim as my invention is:

l. A kv'ice for removing lint comprising a cylindrical diell, a strip ofadhesive tape extending helically about said shell to provideconvolutions progressing along the length of said shell with the tackyside disposed radially outwardly, said shell having an axially extendingnotch at ml: and, the ends of said strip projecting radially inwlrdlythrough said notches and having the tacky side adhered to the radiallyinner surface of the portions of said she! cireumferentially beyond saidnotches, one of being a tab having an axially extending knifecircumferentially beyond the adjacent notch for severing said strip.

2 A device as defined in claim 1 including a handle 3. A device forremoving lint comprising a cylindrical body, jg arrow ridge projectingradially outwardly from hid body and extending helically thereabout, theadolutions of said ridge defining a helical path of uniform widthextending around said body and a It? of dhesive tape encircling saidbody and disposed laid helical path with the tacky side of said tapefacoutwardly, said ridge projecting radially outbeyond the tacky side ofsaid tape.

4 A as defined in claim 3 includi; g a handle I said and rotatablysupporting the .A device lint comprising a cylindrical n mow ridgeprojecting radially outwardly from lhellnnd extending helicallythereabout from a point one-end of said shell to a point adjacent theother the adjacent convolutions of said ridge de- 1 path of uniformwidth on the outer cylin- '(b of said shell, a strip of adhesive tapeencircling and said helical path with the tacky of. strip facingradially outwardly, said shell axially extending notch at each enddefining of said helical path at the opposite ends of said both ofsaidstrip projecting radially inwardly slid mspective notches and havingthe tacky suram to the radially inner surface of the portions.ieflcircumferentially beyond said notches from ended said spiral path,one of said portions being a tdb hm an axially extending knife edgespaced circumlclllillly beyond the adjacent notch for severing saidIrip'.

5. A as defined in claim 5 including a handle from one end of said shelland rotatably I .1 my

i @E- a r ii -5g I. A devicefor removing lint comprising a cylindricalfisdl, a narrow ridge projecting radially outwardly from mid shell andextending helically therea'bout from a 'point one end of said shell to apoint adjacent .the end thereof, the adjacent convolutions ofsaid ridgedefining a helical path of uniform width on the outer cylindrical sideof said shell, a strip of adhesive tape encircling said shell anddisposed in said helical path with the tacky side of said strip facingradially outwardly, said shell having an axially extending notch at eachend defining the ends of said helical path at the opposite ends of saidshell, the ends of said strip projecting radially inwardly through saidrespective notches and having the tacky surface adhered to the radiallyinner surface of the portions of said shell circumferenti-ally beyondsaid notches from the ends of said helical path, one of the saidportions of said shell comprising a tab having an axially extendingterminal knife edge circumfercntially spaced from the adjacent notch forsevering said strip, a hub secured to said shell, a handle projectingaxially from one end of said shell and rotatably supporting said hub,said hub having an axial extension of reduced diameter projecting fromsaid hub in the direction of said handle, and a reserve roll of adhesivetape removably supported on said extension and having an internaldiameter enabling it to be removed over said handle, said extensionbeing adapted to be engaged by the thumb of the hand gripping saidhandle to prevent rotation of said shell and hub relative to said handlewhen applying a strip of tape to said shell.

8. A device as defined in claim 7 in which said ridge is integral withsaid shell and formed by crimping the latter.-

9. A device as defined in claim 7 in which said ridge comprises a wiresecured to said shell.

10. A device for removing lint comprising a cylindrical shell, a stripof adhesive tape extending helically about said shell along the lengththereof with the tacky side disposed radially outwardly, said shellhaving an axially extending notch at one end, one end of said stripprojecting radially inwardly through said notch and having the tackyside adhered to the radially inner surface of the portion of said shellcircumferentially beyond said notch, said portion being in the form of atab having an axially extending knife edge spaced .circumferentiallybeyond said notch for severing said strip, and a handle projecting fromsaid body and rotatably supporting the same.

11. A device for removing lint comprising a cylindrical shell, a stripof adhesive tape extending helically about said shell to provideconvolutions progressing along the length of said shell with the tackyside disposed radially outwardly, said shell having a generally axiallyextending slot adjacent one end, one end of said strip projectingradially inwardly through said slot and having the tacky side thereofadhered to the radially inner surface of the portion of said shellcircumferentially beyond said slot, said shell having a generallyaxially extending knife edge circumferentially beyond said slot forsevering said strip.

12. A device as set forth in claim 11 in which said knife edge is formedby a generally axially extending notch said shell spacedcircumferentially beyond said slot and is defined by the generallyaxially extending edge of said notch adjacent said slot.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS628,494 .Schriever July .11, 1899 1,903,152 Watson et a1 Mar. 28, 19332,610,882 Sutlifie Sept. 16, 1952 2,652,205 Balaban Sept. 15, 19532,671,917 Martin et a1. Mar. 16, 1954 2,693,610 Hensley Nov. 9, 1954FOREIGN PATENTS 158,600 Australia Sept. 2, 1954 142,639 Switzerland Dec.1, 1930

